Keens



JOHMKERNS, "OF'LOUISVILLE, omo, ASSIGNOR To D.- M. sLUss AND n.

* M. "sLUssEa, or SAME PLACE.

Letters Parent No. 14,548, dated February is, 186s.

IMPROVED llXllllNSION-I'A DDER.`

TO ALLWHOM IT MAY QLONCERN:

' Beit known that I, JOHN KERNS, of Louisville, in the county of Stark,and State of Ohio, have inventednew and useful Improvements inExtension-Ladders; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is affull7clear, and exact description'of my invention, reference being .had tothe'accompanying drawings, andto'the' letters of reference markedthereon, of which drawings- Figure 1 is a side view ofjmy ladder.`Figure 2 is a front view of the same. Figures 3 areside and end viewsof the pawlLaxle and paw'ls.

Y Figure 4 is a sectional view of one of the sides-oi` the part B,showing the arrangementof ratchets.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, Iwillprcceedito describe its construction and operation. v,

My ladder is made in two parts, A and B, both in the common'formof'ladder, the part B being secured to the partA by the strapsC whichare arranged as shown, so that the part B is free to slide up or down onthe part A. A stop, a', is put on the part A, which prevents the part Bfrom sliding down too far. vAt the top of the part B are inserted thewheels or' rollers O O, as shown, which aid in the raisingof the ladderon' a building, by rol 'lin', gup 1 ;he side, andthus preventanyicatching of the top of this part. The paal-axle H`is e arranged inthe paye A,'a s shown, and on this axle are securedthe pawls I I, whichset in vslots S S, cut in the sides of the part A, as shown. '.lhesprings K K keep these pawls .pressed against the` part BJ The pawls I Iand the springs K K, being in the slots S S in theA part A, and coveredbythe part B, are secure from any injury, being -fullyprotected frenibeing struck b y any obstacle. VOn the part B are c u"`t' th e ratchetsLL, which work in connection with the pawls I I, and thus support thepart B at any elevation. An arm,M, is made ou the panjlaxle H, and tothis arni a cord, N, is attached, byimeausof which thepawls I I canvbedisengagcdfrom the ratchets L L, and theparrB'loxvered at pleasure. On the vroundsD D, o f the part A, are' placed the pulleys E E, and an'endless-rope, P, is arranged overthenas shwu'.v :To this'rope P the'cord G- is attached, the other end of said cord G being attached to oneof thelotver rounds ofthe part B, as shown. It' is easily seen that vbydrawing on that part of the rope Pat the back of the partA, the' part Bcan be raised to any desired point. The ratchets L are couutersunkin'the sides ofthe pa'rt B, by which the 4part B is free to slide'over thepart LA, without injury to the ratehets |L L. At the top of each notch4is driven an iron, Q, which' prevents vthcpawls L L'froui wearing out orbreaking oft' the notches.

I do not clairn, as my'invention, the ladders A and B, clasps or strapsC C; rollers O O, springs K' K,'nor v theV pulleys E E; nor do Iclaimthe making of ratchets L on the p'art B, nor the pawls II,takenseparately but What I do claim as my invention, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isf-f 4'.lfhe combination of the pawls I I,ypawl-axle-H,a r1 u M, aud/cord N, when used in connection with theratchets L in theI part'B, which have irons, QQ, inserted therein, andwhen the ladder Aliasv tbe slots S S, all arranged in the manner and forthe purposes specified.

, As evidence that I claiin the foregoing, I havehereunt'o set myh.and,in presence of 4tivo witnesses, this 16th day of November, A. D.1867. v Y i' i -I ,i

JOHN KEBNS.

Witnesses:

Guo. S. Huaronn, D. M. SLussna.

